Sixteen high school students were split into four teams to collaborate and learn a new way to creatively solve the problem of alcohol and drug use, teen pregnancy, bullying, and financing higher education. To guide them, each group is working with a facilitator.

"I like learning a new way of thinking about things. Our team was made to think outside the box," said Tyresha Sagastibelza, 17, a senior a Grand Rapids Montessori, about their alcohol and drugs group. "Sometimes you might give a one-word reason such as attitude, but (the facilitator) made us go above that, to why and how."

The Hispanic Center Design Camp has the students using design thinking, which is an insight-based problem solving method.

On Friday, the students delved into their first day of exercises, which required them to look to uncover feelings, facts and behaviors, conduct interviews, develop the central question for their topic and the objectives. On Saturday, they will drill down on solutions and Sunday they will present their solutions.

"I like the way they challenged us because not everyone challenges us at school and it's nice having somebody to show us new stuff," said Christina Nino, 14, a freshman at Godwin Heights High School.

Nathan Biller, a senior billing analyst for Steelcase, served as the facilitator for Sagastibelza's group. He is also one of the members of GRoup, young professionals, who came up with the idea to inspire young people.

Biller said "GRoup is about talented people, doing cool projects, that make a big impact." He said education was targeted, and the camp was done first at Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy.

"We want to inspire kids to want to learn, but do it in fun ways," said Biller. "If they have fun, they will want to do it on their own."

Sagastibelza plans to utilize Facebook to put her team's question out and get feedback: How might we prevent the use of drugs and alcohol in order to reduce the overall percentage of the population using drugs?

The other central questions the students will be working on solutions for this weekend are: How do you stop bullying without violence? How might we educate girls/boys about making higher education plans? How might we develop a program to address teen pregnancy, providing education and support?

Rachel Humphries, a youth advocate with the Hispanic Center of West Michigan, said they are trying to develop the members of SOL into leaders. She said the plan is to implement some of their solutions.

"We want them to take the next step after identifying a problem and collaborate to come up with solutions and be able to think of things outside the box," said Humphries.

Faye Richardson, director of global learning and development for Steelcase, said she was excited about taking design thinking from a corporate environment to a youth environment.

"I am so appreciative I work for a company that believes in community involvement, especially around education," said Richardson.

Email: mscott2@mlive.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter at Twitter.com/GRPScotty.